


fairytale of new york.

by porcelainsimplicity



Series: christmas stories [25]
Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Advent Challenge, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Christmas, F/M, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 12:25:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17100554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/porcelainsimplicity/pseuds/porcelainsimplicity
Summary: I've got a feelingThis year's for me and youSo happy ChristmasI love you babyI can see a better timeWhen all our dreams come trueor:  Lady Kitty Pryde is experiencing her first Christmas at court and Prince Piotr has a surprise for her.





	fairytale of new york.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Scarlett_Phoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlett_Phoenix/gifts).



> Day 22 Prompt: At the castle, Christmas is very different from what she’s used to.  
> Day 22 Title Song: Fairytale of New York – The Pogues (feat. Kirsty MacColl)
> 
> This is set like centuries in the past, FYI.

Kitty had heard of the castle's beauty at Christmas, but she hadn't anticipated it to be as beautiful as it truly was. There were trees everywhere, large ornaments and the finest materials draped around them. There were candles in every room and corridor, all of them lit at the same time and bringing a wonderful glow to wherever she happened to be. There was garland draped across the ceiling and above the doors, and between it and the trees, a tremendous smell of the woods echoed through the halls. It was far more than she'd ever experienced before because while her family was one of the wealthier families in the country, her father had never wanted to celebrate the holiday beyond spending the morning at church. She had been expecting something similar to what she had as a child because she knew of nothing else.

But she wasn't a child anymore. She had reached her majority and that meant she had come to court in order to find a suitable husband. She was supposed to be drawing the attention of the men that were on offer, but all Kitty could think about was how she really would rather be alone in her room with a good book. She'd never been good at communicating with men, let alone trying to entice one to look at her as a potential bride, and she knew her father was growing frustrated with her lack of progress in that area. There was one that she was slowly getting to know that she had fallen for, but she knew that he would never feel the same for her so she was trying to forget about that and move on with someone else. But no one else seemed to even look at her.

“You look lost in thought, Lady Pryde.”

Kitty turned and found Prince Piotr behind her, and she quickly curtsied. “Your Royal Highness. Forgive me, I did not know you were there.”

“It is alright, Lady Pryde,” Piotr said, smiling at her. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Of course,” Kitty said a little too quickly and she could tell that he noticed when he gave her a look. “I am just not much for these sort of things.”

“Me either,” Piotr said, reaching for her hand. “Would you like to come with me? I was just about to leave for a little while.”

Kitty swallowed hard. “I'm not sure that would be appropriate.”

“It will be fine,” Piotr said. “Come on, I wish to take you to the library.”

“We often leave these occasions together, Your Royal Highness. I do not want to give anyone the wrong impression.”

“We won't,” Piotr said seriously. “Please come with me.”

Kitty took a moment to think about it before allowing Piotr to take her hand. “Alright.”

Piotr linked her arm through his elbow and led her from the room, smiling at the guards as they passed. “I highly doubt anyone in there is going to notice we're gone.”

“I assure you that there are several ladies who will. There are many with the goal of becoming your wife.”

“Trust me, I know,” Piotr said, shaking his head. “My father said that if I do not find a bride among the ladies at court this year then he will arrange a marriage to a foreign princess, but I really don't want that. So I am trying to find someone among the adoring crowd. Honestly, I cannot stand any of them, so this is difficult.”

Kitty stayed silent for a moment. “I do not know why you are telling me these things, Your Royal Highness.”

“Piotr,” he said. “My name is Piotr.”

“I know. But it is not appropriate to use.”

“I'm asking you to call me Piotr, Lady Pryde,” he said seriously. “Please.”

Kitty looked around to make sure no one could hear them. “Alright then, Piotr. But only when we are alone.”

“That is fine,” Piotr said, leading her into a different corridor. “And thank you for that. I feel as though there is no one that I can just be myself with.”

“There is no one that I can just be myself with either,” Kitty murmured. “So since I am to call you Piotr, you may call me Kitty.”

“I thought your name to be Katherine.”

“It is, but I prefer to be called Kitty.”

“Then I will do so,” Piotr said, bringing them to a stop in front of a door. “This is the library.”

Kitty watched as he opened then door then stepped into the room first, smiling when she realized it was already illuminated by candlelight. “Have you already been here tonight?”

“No,” Piotr said, entering the room and closing the door behind him. “I asked one of the servants to prepare the room for us.”

“For us?”

“I was not going to bring anyone but you here,” Piotr admitted. “No one else would appreciate it the way you would.”

Kitty smiled at that, turning to look at shelf after shelf of books. She approached the first shelf she saw and studied the books on offer, turning to look at Piotr. He nodded and she pulled one of the books from its place, running her hand over the binding before opening it. It was beautifully illustrated and she allowed her fingers to trace the design down the page before reading the words written there. “This is amazing, Piotr.”

“I want you to be able to come here whenever you want,” Piotr said softly, approaching her. “I want you to be able to read any of the books in this room.”

“I appreciate the thought but you and I both know that cannot happen. Rooms like this are reserved only for members of the royal family. I should not even be in here now.”

“I know,” Piotr murmured. “But I'd still like you to be able to come in here whenever you feel like it.”

Kitty gave him a confused look. “But I cannot.”

Piotr took the book from her hands and carefully put it back on the shelf before taking her hands in his own. “Is there a man that you have your eye on, Kitty?”

“No, there is not,” Kitty murmured. “They're all dull and boring and barely notice me anyway.”

“I notice you,” Piotr said. 

“And I thank you for that,” Kitty said softly.

“Do you know what drew me to you?” Piotr asked, continuing when Kitty shook her head. “You didn't throw yourself at me. You didn't make an effort to catch my attention or attract me to yourself. You just were yourself with me and you treated me as a person instead of a prince.”

Kitty blushed. “I did not know of any other way to treat you, Piotr. I would never have acted the way those ladies act towards you. Or towards any man available to me. I am not that kind of person.”

“I know you are not. You are kind and gentle and shy. But I believe that in the right situation you will thrive. I just wish to give you that opportunity.”

Kitty gave him a strange look. “I am not sure of what you're saying to me, Piotr.”

“I am saying that there is no one in that hall right now that I wish to make my wife,” Piotr said, giving her a soft smile. “However, there is someone in this library right now that I would like to make my wife.”

Kitty's breath caught in her throat. “Me?” she said after a moment. “You wish to marry me?”

“Yes,” Piotr said, nodding. “I have spent the past few months getting to know the girl who caught my eye the moment she walked into court, and you are better than I ever imagined you would be. You have all the qualities necessary to one day be queen of this realm. But more than that, I have fallen in love with you, Kitty, and I wish to make you my wife.”

Kitty stayed silent and Piotr squeezed her hands. “I do not want you to feel obligated to agree. If you do not wish to, that is fine. I will tell my father to arrange a marriage with a foreign princess. I would never force you to do something you do not want to do.”

“No, Piotr, it's not that,” Kitty said, shaking her head. “I am just in shock.”

Shocked was right. At the proposal itself, at Piotr's declaration of love. But what Kitty was shocked about the most was how she'd never realized how much she'd wished for this to happen, how much she'd fallen in love with the prince she'd thought would never want her in any way. Their budding friendship had been something she'd treasured, but she never even imagined that Piotr could be feeling anything more than kindness towards her.

Piotr smiled and that drew Kitty from her thoughts. “So my proposal is not entirely unwarranted?”

“I have fallen in love with you as well,” Kitty said. “Though I must admit that I did not realize just how much I wanted this until just this moment.”

“That's alright,” Piotr said, his smile turning into a grin. “I am so glad that you have realized it now.”

Kitty took a deep breath. “You really wish to marry me?”

“Yes,” Piotr said seriously. “I do.”

“Then I will marry you,” Kitty said, smiling. “I will very happily marry you.”

Piotr pulled Kitty into his arms and held her there. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you so much for this wonderful gift.”

“You are the one giving me the gift,” Kitty said. “I do not deserve such an incredible future.”

“You deserve the world, Kitty. And I am going to give it to you.” Piotr pulled back and looked at her for a moment. “May I kiss you?”

“Yes,” Kitty said, gasping a moment later when their lips met. 

Piotr held her tight as he deepened the kiss, feeling Kitty go weak against him. The kiss felt so real, so right, better than anything she'd ever experienced before, and she knew that marrying Piotr was the correct choice. 

Kitty smiled at him when the kiss broke. “I cannot believe this I happening. I never thought for a second that you could ever possibly feel this way towards me.”

“It's been you since you walked into court,” Piotr said softly. “And it's always going to be you.”

Kitty laughed. “I suspect I'm going to be quite hated at court for awhile.”

“Don't worry about that. We will be married soon enough and then they will have to swallow their bitterness and curtsy to you as you will be a princess.”

“Me, a princess,” Kitty said, shaking her head. “That will take awhile to get used to, I imagine.”

“But you will,” Piotr assured. “I have no doubt of that.”

Kitty nodded and Piotr reached for her hand. “I am sure you are correct, so I am just going to trust that.”

“Good,” Piotr said, linking her arm through his. “Now how about we go spring a Christmas surprise to the court?”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning we go speak with my father and he announces our engagement to the court,” Piotr said, leading her to the door. “He will be so pleased.”

“I have only been introduced to the King once, when my father presented me so I may be admitted into court.”

“Yes, but he knows that I have been courting you,” Piotr said, opening the door. “And while I wish to marry you because of you, he would like me to marry you because of your family name. So he will be happy to hear of this.”

“My father will be happy as well. He's been disappointed in me for not yet acquiring one of the men at court. I don't know what to tell him about this.”

“I will speak to him, tell him that I asked you not to tell anyone what was going on and that you held to it. There will be no issue, I assure you.”

Kitty smiled as they began to walk back to the great hall and the celebrations. “Piotr?”

“Yes, Kitty?”

“This is a wonderful Christmas present.”

“I am glad you feel that way. But there is another present waiting for you in my chambers. I shall fetch it tonight before you return to yours and give it to you.”

“I have nothing for you in return.”

“Don't worry, Kitty. You agreeing to this is my present. I thought perhaps you might not.”

“Well, I shall work on never giving you a reason to doubt me again.”

Piotr smiled at her. “I never should have in the first place.”

Kitty smiled at him before taking a deep breath as they reached the doors leading into the great hall. “I'm nervous.”

“Don't be,” Piotr said softly. “Just trust me.”

Kitty nodded and Piotr signaled for the guards to open the doors, and they shared one more smile before Kitty allowed Piotr to lead her into the room and the rest of her life. 

She couldn't remember a Christmas ever being so beautiful.


End file.
